After 45 years, Stan Komen of Stan's Wines and Spirits decides it's closing time

Saturday

Jul 26, 2014 at 3:30 PM

Steve Tarter of the Journal Star

Stan Komen is ready to pack it in but he doesn’t want to leave anything behind.

That means all the scotch, bourbon, beer and wine that’s stocked on the shelves of Stan’s Wine and Spirits, 1108 W. Glen Ave., is on sale, a true going-out-of-business sale, he said.

“When it’s gone, I’m gone,” he said.

Komen, 75, said 45 years in the liquor business — 27 years at his present location on the perimeter of the Metro Centre and 18 before that at Sheridan Village — is enough.

“I felt it was time to repurpose myself. I haven’t made any plans but I won’t be watching reruns of ‘The Golden Girls,’” he said.

When Komen got into the business in 1969, the independent liquor stores handled all the spirits in town. “It used to be that there were only a set number of liquor licenses issued. If you wanted one, you had to wait for someone to die or retire,” he said.

During Peoria Mayor Richard Carver’s administration in the 1970s more liquor licenses were issued, said Komen. “The city saw an opportunity to get more revenue,” he said.

But that was just the beginning. Supermarkets and drug stores got into the liquor business followed by gas stations.

Komen feels a sense of accomplishment for staying in business despite all the competition.

The secret has been customer service, he said. But to provide that service, you have to be available, he added.

“As a small store owner, you give up a lot. You give up your time. I’ve always been here in the store,” said Komen.

“But I’ve also gained a lot in the way of relationships. Now some of my customers’ kids are buying from me,” he said.

Stock boys he’s employed over the years are now respected members of the community, said Komen.

“This is an unusual store. It’s not just the bottles of wine I carry. It’s a service store. I try to help people make the selection that’s right for them,” he said.

Along with seeing more competition over the years, he’s seen plenty of trends in the business. “You see more wine these days. It’s healthier, more sophisticated and it costs less to entertain with wine than spirits,” said Komen.

“A lot of people are afraid of wine, but it’s just fermented grape juice. Wine growers are farmers. I try to take the mystery out of wine at this store,” he said.

His knowledge of wine has taken Komen to the college campus as well as overseas where he’s headed wine tours.

He plans on leaving no wine behind at the store. “I have some rare vintages that will be on sale for pennies over cost. It’s our way of saying, ‘Have one on us,’” he said.

“Stan’s the last of his kind. He’s a survivor and an example of what an individual can do,” said Marshall Lipkin, a former Peoria businessman and community theater veteran.

“He offers more than a bottle of wine to his customers. He offers knowledge. He’s also involved, and part of that work ethic that you work six days a week,” said Lipkin.

For Komen, offering customers a hard-to-find Swiss wine or a chance to buy one of his store displays is a way of giving back.

“I feel lucky. I fell in love with a Peoria girl who wanted to be around her home,” he said.

That Peoria girl was Susan Komen, who died in 1980 of breast cancer at the age of 36 and whose charitable foundation is now world-famous.

“I was left with two kids to raise. I couldn’t have done it without this community,” said Komen.

After all the years in the store, he’s not sure how he’ll adjust to a life outside the counter. “Retiring is easy but saying good-bye is hard.”

Steve Tarter is Journal Star business editor. Tarter’s phone number is 686-3260, and his email address is starter@pjstar.com. Follow his blog, Minding Business, on pjstar.com and follow him on Twitter @SteveTarter

Tips from Stan

Stan Komen is retiring from Stan’s Wine & Spirits after 45 years. We asked him for a few spirited tips.

>>Shandy beer: It’s a combination of lemonade and beer. It’s a summer beverage and the ladies like it.

>>Italian moscato: Here’s a sweet wine that’s easy to drink.

>>Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon: Each bottle is registered and is made in the heart of Kentucky bourbon country. It’s expensive.

>>Pimm’s No. 1: Here’s a London liqueur with an interesting history.

>>Miller Fortune beer: It’s their newest beer if people want to get in on the ground floor.

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